City close on club record Aymeric Laporte deal

Manchester City are closing in on a club record deal for French defender Aymeric Laporte.

Bookmakers are taking no chances, and have already closed their markets after a surge of money was taken on a deal being done for the Athletic Bilbao stopper.

City have been looking for a new central defender, and were keen on doing a deal for West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans – who would have been just over £20million.

But sources close to the Premier League giants have confirmed to me that they have now moved for Laporte instead, after they made aware that the player was now keen on making the move to the Etihad.

The 23-year-old turned down a switch in the summer of 2016, instead signing a new deal with Bilbao when City believed they had all but secured a move.

City are now willing to look past his previous snub and seal a deal for Laporte – who they would need to break their transfer record to secure as they would have to pay his release clause which is close to £60million.

City sources now believe the deal could be done by the weekend but they have told Bilbao and Laporte’s representatives they don’t wont things being dragged out and if it is not done by Monday, they may revert to Evans.

Leading bookmaker Coral has suspended betting Laporte after going down to 1/12 for him to join City.

“We saw a flurry of bets for Laporte joining Manchester City late last night where it does now look like Pep has got his man this time around,” said Coral’s John Hill.